Facile preparation of aluminum nitride decorated cobalt-based MOF porous carbon for superior microwave absorption

In response to the escalating demand for lightweight, broadband and high-efficiency microwave-absorbing materials driven by the rapid advancement of electronic information technology, this study proposes a novel solution involving the fabrication of aluminum nitride (AlN)-decorated cobalt carbide (CoC) nanocomposites via an oil-bath method. The incorporation of rigid and insulating AlN significantly enhances the thermal stability and microwave absorption (MA) performance of the AlN/CoC composites. Notably, in the 80 wt% AlN/paraffin composite system, a minimum reflection loss (RL min ) of − 43.2 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of 1.76 GHz (13.92–15.68 GHz) were achieved, which is markedly superior to that of the CoC/paraffin composite under the same filling ratio (− 8.28 dB). The results indicate that the substantial enhancement in the MA properties of the AlN/CoC composites is primarily attributed to the influence of varying AlN contents on the dielectric loss, polarization loss, and impedance matching behavior of the material. This study provides new insights and methodologies for the development of lightweight, broadband, and high-efficiency microwave-absorbing materials. The design strategy of AlN/CoC composites holds great potential for widespread application in fields such as aerospace, electromagnetic shielding, and radar stealth.